“TAKE IT TO CHURCH HOZIER, TAKE ..IT… TO CHURCH”

HOZIER ALBUM OUT NOW!

So far in my previous reviews we’ve wandered through a Labyrinth with the Londoners, Rocked with the Northerners, Cruised with the Californians and Fantasised over the French. So this week we take it down a notch or two from the high-energy tracks of the previous albums, to something a little different, with the latest artist up in this week’s music review.

Admittedly the Jesus look had me skeptical at first, my main trepidation being; what exactly can one expect to hear? Then I heard his voice, and it is honestly hard to believe that such a young man could produce such a sound and all doubts were instantly removed. If ever there was a caucasian male version of Mahalia Jackson I believe it would appear in this one artist by the name of ‘Hozier’. The Irish singer from Bray is doing Ireland proud since he has walked into the music scene. Hozier has already performed live on the Ellen show and has booked up tour dates from London to L.A. Hozier does not simply sing as his voice seems to have the ability to change the environment in the room. A voice that is not based on any luck whatsoever, but on puretalent and blessings, mastering his craft along the way. His voice is just amazing! He takes your breath away as he really does take it to church with his vocal capabilities.

With his self – entitled début album ‘Hozier’ we hear a sound that is a rich amalgamation of traditional Gospelmusic, country and blues but with that raspy twist we heard from Mike Jagger. In his album is the sense of a man that brings life experiences trials and tribulations – those that we learn from and those that constantly test a persons character – expressing it all in what feels like a musical biography rather than just any album on the market and though this is more a mellow album than the albums in our previous reviews it is still just as sensational.

With Hozier it is obvious there is a focus on the importance of lyrics and the story being told. This is the type of vocalist that is every true creativewriter/lyricist dream, as Hozier through his voice would tell a tale that would deliver just the right amount of emotion to personify each word and create an atmosphere all of its own. All you need to do is take a listen to ‘Angel Of Small Death’ and we begin to experience a tone that is extraordinaire that almost seems as though it has leaped out of the 1930’s Mississippi blues and gospel, like a song you would expect to hear from Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a voice of experience. However, once ‘Take Me To Church’ is played you then hear the raw emotions, truth and hardships of life that Brad Paisley brought to countrymusic. Only to then be rendered speechless by ‘Cherry Wine’. Again one has to confess that I have already visualised ‘Cherry Wine’ on every romance feature movie that is yet to be made. Please forgive me, as it is every female’s creative license to think too far into the future, and this artist can most definitely turn heads with his voice.

This is an album that will have different effects on different individuals but once you allow yourself to be captivated by Hozier’s music there is no turning back. He leaves the listener with an endless desire to hear more of what he can deliver and where he vocally can take the senses. So we at DIFORM officially salute what we now call “The Voice” that is Hozier.